In Which
by Mary B. Wolf
Summary: Where A:tLA plot bunnies live. / / #7: In which Zuko acquires a pet. / / #8: It's hot in the Fire Nation. Fortunately for Zuko, he's married to one of the strongest Water Benders in the world. / Zuko/Katara
1. Katara Marries A Powerful Bender

Watch in amazement as I disclaimerbend: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Or Firefly.

* * *

The day started off normally.

Which, given the way the majority of the group's days started off, wasn't saying an awful lot about normality.

The day ended with a marriage.

One that no one expected.

Ever.

Because Katara had finally married her powerful bender.

Toph.

"Is that even _LEGAL_?" Katara shrieked when the village leader told her.

"It _was_ a legitimate, binding ceremony, Lady Katara," the man said calmly. "An entirely unprecedented one, granted, but a legitimate, binding ceremony all the same. You and the Lady Bei Fong are man- er… woman… and wife."

Toph just cackled. "This is great! Make me a sandwich, woman! Your wife is hungry."

The leader coughed delicately. "I can see you need some time to absorb this," he said. "I'll just be leaving to give the newlyweds some time alone- "

Katara rounded on him, eyes blazing. "_You_ are not going _anywhere_ until Toph and I aren't married anymore," she growled. "You're going to help us _fix_ this."

"Nothing's broken, Sweetness," Toph asserted. "And if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"We can't be married, Toph!" Katara cried. "This can't be happening. I'm supposed to marry a powerful bender! Aunt Wu said so."

Toph was affronted. "You mean I'm not powerful enough for you?"

"A _male_ bender," Katara said, voice cracking.

She began to panic, just a little.

"This is _your_ fault, Toph!"

"My fault? How can you blame this on me? _You_ put those stupid flowers on _my_ head, _you_ gave _me_ that cup of wine- which was stupid anyway, really, giving a minor alcohol- and _you_ made _me_ dance with you. And from the sound of it, that means _you_ married _me._ I'm flattered, Sweetness."

"It's true," the headman said.

Toph beamed maniacally. "See? Now seriously, I asked for a sandwich."

The door of the hut they were in opened. Sokka's head poked in. "There you two are!" he exclaimed. "We've been looking everywhere. _HEY GUYS, I FOUND THEM OVER HERE!_ Come on, Appa's loaded up, we're ready to leave."

"We're not leaving," Katara declared.

"What? Why not?"

Sokka stepped in, followed by Suki, Aang, Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai.

"Sugar Queen wants a divorce," Toph informed them.

The air temperature around Sokka dropped several degrees. The air around Zuko became stiflingly hot. Aang just looked confused.

Sokka and Zuko's gazes locked onto the village headman, the only other male in the room. He went very still and pale.

"From me," Toph added gleefully.

Now everyone looked puzzled.

The Fire Lord and the Water tribesman stopped stalking toward the headman.

"That's kind of hot," Ty Lee remarked. Her arm slid around Mai, who settled against the other girl comfortably.

"Is that even legal?" Suki asked.

"That's what I said!" Katara shouted desperately. Her brother's fiancée blinked back at her slowly.

There was a long pause following this outburst. Everyone looked at each other with varying expressions of confusion and outrage.

"Yes," the headman said suddenly. Every gaze turned to him. He flushed. "We've established that it's legal."

"Oh," Suki murmured. "Okay. Um. We'll find a way to fix this, Katara, don't worry."

"What's the divorce procedure?" Zuko demanded. Everyone looked at him. He put his hands up, palms out. "What? I can't marry Katara if she's married to Toph, now can I? And Aang can't marry Toph if she's married to Katara. This is for everyone's good."

Katara turned red. "It's a little early for marriage, Zuko."

"Looks like the cat-owl's out of the bag, Twinkletoes," Toph laughed.

"Everyone shut up!" Sokka called. He addressed the headman. "How do they get a divorce?"

"Well, the man sets aside a wife, if she is too old to bear children, or if she's barren, but an outright divorce is very rare," he explained.

Zuko growled. The headman squeaked.

"It can be done," he was quick to reassure. "The man- er… one of the girls- paces around the woman- the other girl- twice, burning the marriage wreath, in the presence of witnesses."

He smiled. "Which of you will it be?"

Katara glared. Toph cackled, then reached a hand to her hair to pull out the wreath of flowers. She held it out in Zuko's general direction. "A little help, Sparky?"

"Right," he muttered.

To everyone's shock, Aang beat him to the punch, sparking the floral crown alight and saying, "Come on, Toph."

So the Earthbender made two circles around the Waterbender, holding a flaming circle of daisies.

"This is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen," Mai commented. Ty Lee's hold on her tightened reflexively.

"So… wanna do it, Mai?" she asked exuberantly. "Marry me, bunny-kins!"

Mai kissed her. "Only if you promise not to call me that again." To Katara she said, "Where'd you find those daisies?"

"The field outside town," Katara supplied faintly.

"Don't leave without us!" Ty Lee cried, and the pair ran off, holding hands.

An hour later, the Gaang flew off on Appa, newly married Ty Lee and Mai cuddled up and sleeping along one side of the saddle.

Newly divorced Toph and Katara were avoiding each other at opposite ends of the saddle.

Aang sat on Appa's head, guiding the bison and listening to Toph sing an Earth Kingdom lullaby.

Sokka and Suki were spooning and murmuring to each other softly across from Ty Lee and Mai.

Zuko lay awkwardly by himself in the middle, stargazing. His head was close to Katara's feet, and she was absently finger-combing his hair.

And then Toph said, "I didn't get my sandwich. Knew I divorced you for a reason…"

* * *

Crackhumor because I was bored. I really do ship Zutara/Taang/Sukka/MaiLee, though. And I should probably have given the headman a name...he wasn't supposed to have such a big role. Oh well.

Marriage ceremony borrowed from Firefly, because OMG, I love that show. And it works _so well_ in Avatar-verse.


	2. Zuko Remembers Why He Hates Holidays

Christmas gift for a-mae-zing at LJ. She requested "...Avatar: TLA fic? With Iroh embarrassing Zuko with stories of tiny!Zuko in front of Zuko's friends at a holiday gathering? (New Year's, maybe?) Fluff/humor, obviously. xD

Bonus points for Toph sneaking cactus juice without anyone else realizing it (simply because she was told it was "for the adults," and gdi, she's more awesome than them so HOW DARE THEY try to stop her from doing anything!) someone (Sokka?) planning to put the newfound blackmail material to good use, or Zuko trying and failing repeatedly to shut Iroh up. ;D"

I kind of mooshed it all in there.

* * *

Uncle's private sitting room was looking unusually… festive. Uncle was always enthusiastic about holidays, but really, this was just _overkill_.

He must have brought the strange plants hanging everywhere with him from the Earth Kingdom. More strange plants formed centerpieces on the tables scattered throughout the room, on top of brightly colored runners and tablecloths with tassels and fringe in every hue and shade imaginable. It would have been blinding, but the candles were few, reflected by strategically placed mirrors. It lit the room only softly, blurring edges and gentling everything it touched.

Appetizers, punch, and a strange, creamy drink Uncle called 'eggnog' filled a large table against one wall. Sokka lingered near the meaty ones at the beginning of the evening, a cup of punch in one hand. Suki leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. Katara and Aang had chatted in one corner, Ty Lee had tried to entice Mai to dance, and Toph had… well, he wasn't sure _what_ she'd done, to be honest. That scared him a little.

Everyone Zuko loved was gathered in his uncle Iroh's lounge to celebrate the winter solstice and new year. Iroh himself had come from Ba Sing Se, closing his teashop for the holidays. Zuko had installed him in the family wing, in his old rooms, next to Ursa's. Toph of all people had come with him. Apparently she'd been staying in the apartment behind the teashop with Iroh, having tired some time ago of traveling with Aang.

"Too much flying," she'd said by way of explanation. "I want my feet on the ground where I can see."

Katara and Sokka had met up with Suki, Ty Lee, and Mai on Kyoshi Island and taken a ship west to the Fire Nation together. Aang had arrived on Appa with Momo only that morning, his peace-keeping duties as Avatar having run on longer in one village than he'd thought they would.

They had all been warm receptions, full of hugs and warm greetings. He'd missed them all and had been so happy to see everyone. He'd been joyous, introducing them all to his mother, who had received word shortly after Zuko's coronation and returned from her exile.

Zuko was ten seconds away from killing them all, starting with Uncle.

"—naked as the day he was born and he managed eluded his nurse for—" Iroh had to pause for the uproarious laughter coming from his belly, and from the rest of the crowd. (Save Mai, who was only chuckling lightly. But that was almost better.) "—twenty minutes."

Katara wiped tears from her cheeks and asked, "How did he get out of his clothes? I've seen Fire Nation clothes. They're almost impossible to get out of by yourself, especially if you're two."

"That's the thing," Iroh chortled. "His nurse undressed him and put him in his bathwater—"

"Uncle," Zuko started. His whole face was a brilliant scarlet. "I'm sure my friends don't want to hear about me wet and nude as a toddler."

"Hush up, Sparky," Toph bellowed. She cackled. "The old man's trying to tell a story! Don't interrupt."

"Yeah, Your Highness," Sokka added loudly. Suki could be seen wincing at his slurring voice. "Shaddup. Iroh's tellin' a story."

Zuko's teeth would be blunt by the end of the night if he had to keep grinding them like this. He bit his tongue for the moment, and Iroh continued. "His nurse had him in his bath. She turned away for only a moment to get the soap and—"

"Uncle, please," Zuko whispered hoarsely. "Stop."

His uncle either didn't hear or deliberately ignored him and went on, "Zuko just hopped out of the water and ran off through his bedroom and down the hall! Soaked and dripping water, stark naked—" He had to stop and release his mirth once again. "He was headed to the throne room."

Silence rang through the room as the implications of that sank in. Iroh cleared his throat, somewhat awkwardly.

Ursa, bless her soul, stepped in. "I seem to recall a significant dip in my makeup supply around the time Zuko turned four," she said cunningly.

Iroh brightened again. "Oh, yes! The lip paint moment," he exclaimed jovially.

"Uncle, no!" Zuko cried desperately. "Please, for the love of my sanity, no!" He was not above begging on his knees to keep this story from ever being told. This feeling increased exponentially when Sokka began rubbing his jaw.

"Y'know," he said thoughtfully, "these stories could come in handy later…"

"Uncle." Zuko's voice cracked pathetically. He was ignored.

"Lady Ursa took Zuko into her room one evening to prepare for a gala," Iroh started. "She stepped into her privy, trusting that her maid would keep an eye on the child. When she returned, she found the maid gone and Zuko elbow-deep in her face paints."

"He had seen me put it on," Ursa explained. She at least was making an effort to spare Zuko's dignity. It was a bit backhanded, since she was the one who'd mentioned this story in the first place. "He didn't understand why he couldn't do so as well."

"I only glimpsed him in the mirror for a brief moment when I dropped by with my wife," Iroh added. "All I saw was red."

"He'd gotten into my deepest rouge and darkest lip paint," Ursa said. Her voice trembled with suppressed laughter. "He was wearing a solid coat of rouge all over his whole face, and it was all smeared with the—" she couldn't hold it back any longer, breaking out in her tinkling laughter "—lip paint."

Shouting broke out on the other side of the room. It was Toph. Since when had Toph gotten sneaky, or lost interest in a blackmail goldmine? _"You!"_ she shrieked. She sounded like she'd been betrayed by something. "_You_ did it!" She was pointing at the snack table, where the tray of komodo chicken skewers was empty.

"Oh, no," Zuko mumbled, as a maid who had come to refill the punch bowl dropped the platter she was holding. She had a horrified look on her face.

She flung herself on her knees into a bow so low her forehead touched the floor. "Please," she begged. Everyone looked at her, bewildered. "I tried to tell her that it was just for the older people, I didn't know she would drink some anyway! I'm sorry."

Toph babbled about something in the background.

"Come off the floor, my dear," Iroh said, soothingly. "Tell us what happened."

"'It's the quenchiest,'" Sokka muttered. "She's had cactus juice."

Oh, Spirits. This would be a fun clean up. Zuko could only pray that everyone got so drunk tonight on the spiked punch that they'd never remember this later.

It was his only chance at surviving this evening.

* * *

Okay, for any of you familiar with it, this is going to be like my A:tLA _The Hutch_ story, where all my oneshot/shortfic/plotbunnies that I need to write but can't or won't expand on go. Originally this was posted as its own oneshot, but, like _The Hutch_, I thought it would be better to house them all together.


	3. Katara Thinks About Baby Names

In Which Katara Thinks About Baby Names

For xxzutarafanxx, who requested, "Post War Zutara fanfic with Zuko finding out Katara pregnant for the first time. ... throw in a bit of Iroh, Sukka...and Azula just to give the whole thing that dark edge." I couldn't squeeze Azula in until the end- she wouldn't fit, and now I'm putting off yet another fic I can't write yet. Anyway, I hope you like this, and happy belated Christmas and New Year's!

* * *

Katara's heart had stopped, partly from shock, but mostly from joy. After months of trying, the palace healer had just confirmed that she was pregnant. She was finally carrying Zuko's child.

When she finally recovered from the stupor the news had caused, she shrieked happily and threw herself at the woman.

"Thank you!" she cried.

"Don't thank me, my dear," the healer told her lightly with a smile. "You've done all the work here. All I did was confirm the happy news for you."

"I don't care!" Katara squealed. "Thank you! Oh, I have to go tell him!" And everyone else, but that could wait. Zuko had the right to know first. Unless she ran into someone else on her way to Zuko…

Bouncing, Katara left the healer's office with an anxious hand pressed to her belly. She was learning her way around the behemoth of a palace she supposedly ran as the Fire Lady after three years, and only took one wrong turn on her way to her husband's public office.

The door was open, which meant one of two things. Either he was out and about somewhere - in which case, she would be better off waiting until lunch and springing the news on him then, because he might be anywhere in creation - or else he was just doing paperwork that didn't require top-secret meetings and ridiculous security codes to look at and could therefore be put off for a short while.

Katara desperately hoped it was the latter, because she _knew_ Zuko deserved to find out first, seeing as he was the father of the baby, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to hold her tongue if she ran into someone else before him. She quickened her step, eager to see him and watch his face light up as he realised he was having a baby.

Zuko wasn't sitting behind his desk. Katara swore under her breath at the sight of the empty chair. She'd have to wait until lunch to tell him.

Deciding to go back to her office to do some of her own work, Katara debated which project to focus her immediate attentions on. She had several meetings lined up for the next morning, the first of which was about the school system. The curriculum had to be entirely overhauled, to reflect the truth of the war. It was a major issue, one of a large number of stipulations set by the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes in the peace negotiations after the war's end. Since one of the Fire Lady's duties was education, this fell on Katara's shoulders.

Shutting down the propaganda machine was apparently another of the Fire Lady's duties, she thought wryly.

She was lost in thought about how to propose interviewing soldiers from the other two nations when she, quite literally, bumped into Sokka, who in turn bounced off a hugely pregnant Suki. The woman looked ready to pop at any given moment.

"Hey, little sister," Sokka said, catching her arm. "What's the rush?"

It wasn't even related to his question, but the excitement was still bubbling under the surface and now it spilled over.

"Sokka, I'm pregnant!" she squealed, throwing her arms out and grinning like an idiot.

Sokka's expression went slack and he began to make little sputtering noises, but Suki gave her a huge smile and a hug. "Congratulations, Katara," she said. "Did you tell Zuko yet?"

"No," Katara said, "and please don't say anything to him! He should have been the first to know, but I'm just so-!" She cut herself off with a gesture and another squeal. "I can't hold it in."

"I know," Suki said sympathetically. "I was the same way when I found out. And now look at me." She laughed self-consciously, almost covering the sounds her husband continued to make despite the elbow she was jamming into his ribs. He was clearly struggling with the idea of his sister being pregnant. Or perhaps it was the idea that she'd done what it took to get pregnant that had him so upset…? Not that it was any of his business what she did with her husband behind closed doors.

"You look amazing, Suki!" Katara said. It was true. That myth about pregnant women glowing was true in Suki's case. She was rosy-cheeked and the pregnancy weight had softened her face. She looked _content_. Katara couldn't wait to look that way.

Suki smiled self-consciously, glancing sideways at Sokka. "We should probably get going," she muttered. "I have an appointment with the healer to check on the baby and everything. We'll see you at lunch, Katara?"

Katara nodded. "Yeah. I have some work to do first, though."

"Of course," Suki said. She gave Katara another hug before she walked away.

As Katara started on her way again, she heard Suki saying something harshly to Sokka. She ignored it with a shrug of her shoulders and dove into the work piled high on her desk when she reached her office.

Before eleven o'candle, Katara's attention had wandered from the overhaul of the public schools' curriculum to baby names. Boys' names, girls' names, Water Tribe names, Fire Nation names, Earth Kingdom names. Maybe she should ask Aang for some Air Nomad names? She focused particularly hard on girl names, even though she knew in an idle sort of way that she should probably hope for a boy to be an heir.

It was hard to focus on boring stuff when she was going to be a _mother_.

She was completely lost in daydreams of playing with her giggling brood of children when Zuko appeared in her door, unnoticed. "Paging Fire Lady Katara." He laughed when she started. "Are you in there somewhere?"

"I was just thinking," she said faintly. Standing, she stretched and began to walk around her desk to him.

"Oh?" Zuko asked, opening his arms to her. She stepped into them without thought and he pecked her forehead. "Thinking about what?"

An enormous grin spread across Katara's face and she shivered in anticipation. This was it!

"I'm pregnant, Zuko," she said, lifting her face to impatiently watch for his reaction.

He didn't at first, but after a moment, his jaw sagged open and his eyes popped. "Really?" he whispered disbelievingly.

"Yes," Katara replied softly, her enthusiasm waning. "I thought you'd be more excited…"

"I am," Zuko said stupidly. "Very. I just… really?" he asked again. His tone was more urgent. "We're really having a baby?"

"Yes, Zuko," Katara said, voice trembling. "We're having a baby."

Then her vision turned to a wall of red silk and she felt herself being lifted off her feet and spun in dizzying circles. She thought she heard a whoop, but she couldn't be sure with the rushing in her ears. When Zuko set her back on her feet, she was glad for his arms around her, or she was positive she would have fallen over sideways.

"A baby," Zuko breathed. His hands cupped her chin and raised her face. Staring into her eyes intently, he repeated, "A baby." Then he kissed her.

Katara started to respond with equal fervor, but a growling noise interrupted them. Zuko broke away from her mouth uncertainly.

"Was that the-?" he started to ask, leveling a wary look at her abdomen.

"No, you doofus," Katara answered amusedly. "I'm hungry. It _is_ lunchtime, you know."

Zuko flushed, plainly embarrassed. "Uncle will be joining us today," he reminded. "We should probably tell him right away…"

"Yeah," she said. "Let's go then. I'm excited to see his reaction too." She led the way out of the room, heading for their private dining room. She grabbed his hand, her belly warming when he laced his fingers through hers. They'd been together for five years and he was still just as romantic now as he had been at the beginning of their relationship. He was still enough to make her knees go weak.

"He'll be thrilled," Zuko said dryly. Despite his tone, he wasn't being sarcastic. Iroh would fuss over and dote on Katara endlessly when he heard. Suki wasn't even related to him except vaguely through marriage and he was spoiling her rotten in her pregnancy. The man just loved babies. In fact… "We might not be rid of him until the baby is born."

"And even then it'll probably be a toss-up," Katara agreed.

Zuko dropped her hand in favor of slipping his arm around her shoulders and walking with her hip-to-hip. The rest of the way to lunch was spent in comfortable silence. But the moment they stepped into their dining room, the calm was shattered.

Servants bustled everywhere, setting up tables and arranging platters of food and pitchers of drinks, and there stood Iroh in the center of it all, supervising everything. When a young woman, nervously scurrying by him, stumbled over her own feet, he caught her around the waist and steadied her. She blushed, and that saucy smile of Iroh's flickered over his face. Then his eyes slid past the girl, catching sight of his nephew and niece-in-law.

"There they are!" he cried. "My expecting young couple!" He hurried toward them, arms open. "I have some special tea blended for you, my dear," he added to Katara with a wink. "Very good for the mother-to-be and the baby alike! Suki has enjoyed it immensely."

"Sokka," muttered Katara dangerously. It could only be him behind this. Suki was good at keeping her mouth shut.

"What?" her brother asked bewilderedly from behind her. He and Suki had arrived to share the meal with them, as they did most days when all of them were free. If Aang and Toph and the rest had been there, they would have joined the royal couple as well.

"You told!" she shrieked, pivoting sharply to face him. "I asked you not to say anything, and yet Iroh knows!"

Sokka raised his hands defensively. "You said don't say anything to _Zuko_," he said patronizingly. "And I didn't." He smirked, thinking he'd won. Katara trembled in rage. The drinks behind her began to rise threateningly from their containers.

"Sokka knew before me?" Zuko asked mildly. He was only doing it to break the tension, and it worked wondrously.

Instantly, Katara's anger deflated. "I'm sorry," she said in a rush, looking back at him. "I just got so excited and I ran into them in the hall before I found you because you weren't in your office and spirits only know where you go when you're not there and it just kind of came out." The anger re-ignited. "I warned him not to tell you and I _hoped_ he'd have the sense not to tell _anyone else_ either. But apparently he's _brainless_," she gritted out, glowering ferociously at her brother.

"It's okay, Katara," he said, but before he could add anything else, Iroh was ushering them into the room.

"I had the servants prepare a special menu for Lady Katara," he said. His glee was uncontainable. "Lady Suki will benefit greatly as well." He smiled brightly at the pregnant women.

As he began to point out certain dishes and explain how they would be good for the babies, Katara's thoughts drifted to names again. She really wanted a girl…

* * *

A slight, unassuming figure stood, stoically silent, in a room of soft yellow. Seated at the table opposite him was a young woman in disarray. Her unbound hair looked in dire need of a brush, and her plain clothes were as disheveled as if she'd been sleeping in them for days. Her face would be beautiful it wasn't set in that unsightly scowl all the time, and a sour, unwashed odor filled the air. Nevertheless, she still commanded respect easily with that calculating gold gaze.

"So," the young woman said slowly. Her voice cracked as if it hadn't been used in a long time. "My big brother is having a child with that Water trash he married…"

"Yes, princess," the figure said redundantly. "The news was just confirmed. The gender is unknown."

"The gender doesn't matter," the young woman snapped, fixing a glare on her visitor. "He'll have an heir either way and then he'll be able to do away with me with a clear conscience, just like he did to Father. We have to act soon. Set the plans in motion. I need to be free."

"As you wish, princess," the figure murmured respectfully. He bowed and left.

In the ensuing silence, another shadow departed, satisfied that it had been undetected.


	4. Mai Narrates A Holiday Or Holiday Cheer

Holiday Cheer (or In Which Mai Narrates A Holiday)

For ninja_butterfly over at LJ, who asked for "A:TLAfic! with some variantion of Zuko/Mai/Ty Lee, whether it's Zuko/Mai with Ty Lee or Mai/ Ty Lee with Zuko... Mai loathing the holidays and being her usual dry, deadpan, this-is-stupid self while Zuko is slightly more excited and Ty Lee is SUPER STOKED OH MY GOD CHRISTMAS/whatever holiday you'd like to make it." I chose Midwinter. It's basically Christmas, only there's no Christ in Avatar-verse (/resisting an urge to make a joke about Aang). Families gather, eat, drink, pass out, and exchange gifts.

So this is basically a set of scenelets and included is a bit of everything you asked for, except the rest of the Gaang. They're a bonus. I worry about having gotten everyone's character down, especially Mai's, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway. Happy belated Christmas and New Year.

* * *

Ty Lee's excited squeal cut through the quiet of the lounge even before she reached it. Mai's eyes rolled, but in spite of her disdain for this holiday - and indeed, all holidays - she smiled to herself. She hadn't seen her friend in months, not since her last visit to Kyoshi Island.

Beside her, Zuko was having trouble suppressing a wide grin as he fidgeted anxiously. In spite of the warning, he jumped when Ty Lee bounced into the room on her hands.

"Oh my gosh, you two!" she gushed. "It's Midwinter! Already! Can you believe it?"

"It's not Midwinter for another three days, Ty Lee," Mai corrected flatly.

Ty Lee beamed. "It's close enough," she said. "Pretty soon, we'll get to see everyone and catch up and exchange presents!"

"And see Sokka and Suki's baby!" Zuko burst out, apparently unable to help himself. When Mai turned to give him a blank look, he flushed almost guiltily and glanced off to the side. And she was reminded all over again of one of the reasons why she'd dumped him. The boy had no backbone against her. Well, that and being Fire Lady would keep her cooped up in an office all day, and she'd never be able to tolerate that kind of boredom. Not since she'd tasted freedom.

Ty Lee was undeterred by Mai's attitude. "Yes!" she shrieked, even though she'd been on Kyoshi Island for the birth and the infant's first six months of life. "You'll love her, she's so small and squishy and cute." She deteriorated into baby talk, squeezing empty air with her fingers as if the baby's cheeks were there, her eyes shining.

Had Ty Lee always been this jolly? Mai couldn't remember, but decided she didn't mind as the acrobat came at her with her arms raised and enveloped her in a hug. The soft smell of Ty Lee - fresh and warm - wafted to her nose and she surreptitiously inhaled deeply. This was the most important reason she'd dumped Zuko and was currently facing the scorn of the Fire Nation.

Ty Lee pulled away, grinning slyly at her. "C'mon, Mai," she ordered cheerily, linking her elbow through Mai's. "We're going to have a girl's night tonight in my room." She looked around at Zuko. "Goodnight, Your Majesty!"

Zuko looked a bit glazed. "Goodnight, Ty Lee," he answered dazedly.

* * *

Early the next afternoon, a sky bison descended in a courtyard and five people climbed off. One of them, a man dressed in blue, was holding a yellow and green bundle like it was delicate glass.

Mai watched impassively as Ty Lee took off at a dead run and threw herself with a happy squeal at a woman in green. "Suki!" she cried. "It's so good to see you!"

"Ty Lee, we've only been apart for four days," Suki said wearily. But Ty Lee had already moved on, squeezing Katara, Aang, and Toph with equal enthusiasm. She hovered for a moment when she reached Sokka, but eventually just cooed over the infant and hugged him around the middle.

Sokka shifted the baby awkwardly to one arm and patted her uncomfortably on the shoulder. Ty Lee released him and Mai was pleased when she immediately bounded back to her side, standing closer than was strictly necessary. Even though the Fire Nation really never got very cold, she enjoyed the feel of Ty Lee's body heat nearby.

Zuko approached with trepidation, but was soon waggling his fingers at the baby and grinning like a fool. The young adults would have happily lingered in the courtyard all day, especially Toph, who had flopped onto the marble flagstones and made herself quite at home, but Iroh found them and ushered them inside to an intimate lunch in his rooms.

The formal dinners and galas to entertain foreign dignitaries and emissaries and the Avatar would happen the next day, and after that would be Midwinter, where they would gather in a private sitting room to exchange gifts and socialise amongst themselves.

* * *

"Isn't she adorable?" Ty Lee murmured, staring down dotingly at the bundle of red silk and baby she'd practically confiscated from Suki at breakfast. She was curled up against Mai on a loveseat, and only Mai could hear her.

"It's a baby," Mai said tonelessly. "She eats, poops, and cries, I don't see what the big deal is." She was having traumatising flashbacks to having to take care of TomTom when that lazy excuse for a nursemaid her parents had 'carefully vetted' sneaked off to trysts with a stable boy.

"Mai!" she gasped, scandalised. "Be nice! She can _hear you_."

"It's not like she'll remember," Mai pointed out.

"So? She still knows."

It was hopeless. Ty Lee was besotted and there was nothing anyone could do to tear her affections away now. It was far too late for anyone to take this baby away from her-

"Time to open gifts!" Katara called, standing near a heap of packages. Still mothering after all this time...

-and suddenly Mai found herself with a lap full of infant while Ty Lee had materialised next to the Waterbender. She squealed, her loudest and shrillest one yet, and announced, "I'll hand them out!"

_Of _course _holiday cheer is the only thing that could_, Mai thought.

Katara shrugged, too used to Ty Lee's Ty Lee-ness to be fazed by it any longer, and retreated to her chaise lounge. "If you insist."

The acrobat plucked one up and read the name on the tag. "'To Zuko, from Katara,'" she read, dashing over to deposit the package on his lap. He shivered lightly, looking dizzily excited, and glanced at the faintly blushing Water Tribe girl in a way he probably thought was subtle. Everyone noticed, especially since he'd claimed the armchair closest to Katara's seat and couldn't seem to stop stuttering and flushing when he talked to her.

Mai was happy for him. She had Ty Lee now. He deserved to be happy with another girl if she was going to be, too. In the meantime, while Ty Lee passed out the gifts, Mai adjusted the baby more comfortably in her arms, happy that it was asleep and perfectly aware that the girl's parents were staring at her so hard it was a wonder she hadn't burst into flames.

A small pile of gifts appeared at Mai's feet, surprising her. She hadn't gotten anyone anything, but she refused to feel guilty. Holidays weren't her thing. They were just days, however much emphasis people wanted to put on them.

Even so, a small, traitorous cockle of her heart warmed to have been remembered.

It seemed to take too long for the gifts to be delivered to their recipients, despite Ty Lee's hurried bouncing along, and Mai was relieved to have her settle back into the sofa beside her.

"Well!" Ty Lee demanded. "Open them!" She waved her hands emphatically. She seemed almost crazed in her exhilaration, and slowly the rest of the group began to unwrap their packages. She took the baby back from Mai and sat, almost quivering as she watched.

She'd gotten everyone scarves. Warm and woolly for the men; gauzy and decorative ones for the women. They were all brightly colored, but not gaudy, and Mai could see that her sense of taste had matured. Toph's had small, semi-precious stones sewn into it.

Mai ignored everyone else's gift-opening frenzy and quietly opened her own. Zuko had given her fine senbon needles and throwing stars, along with a set of whetstones. In a box marked 'from Suki and the Warriors of Kyoshi, which includes Sokka' was a set of razor-sharp fans and a note that read, "Come stay with us longer than a week and we'll teach you to use these properly." She received a small whalebone hunting knife from Katara and Sokka. The scarf from Ty Lee was a deep shade of gold and strung with bells.

Holidays were still stupid and unnecessary, but as she sat there beside Ty Lee, who was fanatical in her enthusiasm for this day, Zuko, who was probably just as thrilled as Ty Lee but trying vainly to repress it, and a number of other people she'd only just met and barely begun to know, Mai decided that perhaps this one wasn't so bad. But just for today.


	5. This Is Katara's Fault

For jayitaintso over at LJ, who gave me the prompt: "Katara and Zuko travel back in time a hundred years. Hijinks ensue. Crackfic y/y?" Well, it ended up being more serious than a crackfic, but there are cracky elements. And I'm again struggling against a longfic with this little plot. You guys gave me amazing prompts. Have I mentioned that I less than three you? I hope you like it, and happy belated Hannukah and New Year.

* * *

This was it. The final proof was staring them in the face. They'd been stuck a hundred years in the past for six months and, try as they might to disprove that, it was now fully realised, fully inescapable _fact_ that Katara had pissed off a witch and gotten them thrown back in time.

Zuko felt the need to remind her of this yet again, standing there in the heart of the Fire Nation palace's library, staring at the giant calendar on one wall.

"This is your fault."

"Shut up, Zuko," Katara snapped irritably. It seemed to be more out of embarrassment than anger, though it was never wise to assume that the Waterbender wouldn't attack just because she was a little humiliated.

"Well it is," he said unnecessarily, not looking at her. "I'm not the one who was rude to that witch! If it wasn't for you-"

A water whip smacked him in the back of the head, cutting off his words, but by the time he turned around, Katara had returned the water to its skin and was glaring at the calendar again. After a moment, she appeared to deflate.

"We should probably head back to her then," she muttered. "If we have to 'learn a lesson,' we may as well get started. I want to go home as soon as possible." Katara hung her head, her wavy brown hair unbound and hiding her face as she stared at the ground.

It pained Zuko to see her so desolate. Despair didn't suit Katara, the woman whose obstinate optimism he had come to rely on in the nearly three years he'd known her. But he usually just depressed people even more when he tried to cheer them up, so he simply sighed and murmured, "Yeah."

Neither of them moved until Katara's head slowly came up again. She studied the calendar intently, seeming to find meaning in it somewhere that eluded Zuko. But he was happy to let her burn holes in the paper, because the longer she stared at it, the more of that tempestuousness he loved in her came back into her eyes.

"Zuko," she began, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yes?" he said warily.

"Zuko," she repeated, eyes desperately scanning the calendar. "We've been sent back a hundred years."

"I know," he said dryly. "And it's-"

"If you say it's my fault again, I'll drown you," Katara threatened. "A hundred years, Zuko."

Any importance this may have held escaped him, even though he frantically tried to find significance in it because Katara had turned her burning gaze on him now.

"What happened a hundred years ago, Zuko?" she asked edgily.

He had to bank on Katara's impatience to get him through this one, he decided, and just stared at her blankly. It worked.

"The war, you idiot! The war started a hundred years ago! According to this-" she gestured expansively at the calendar on the wall "-the comet doesn't come for another three weeks." Katara looked almost fanatical. "Zuko," she whispered fervently. "We can stop the war before it even starts."

Oh, dear gods. Trust Katara to find the biggest, most impossible task in history and try to accomplish it, where even those more powerful than her had failed- or would, at this point, fail.

"We can't," Zuko said levelly.

"Yes, we can," Katara argued. "It's not too late! We can change the course of destiny and save countless lives!"

"No, Katara," he reiterated. "We can't. Not even Roku could stop Sozin. An _Avatar_ couldn't do it, what makes you think _we_ could?"

"We know what he doesn't," Katara said dismissively. "We know what's coming."

"And how exactly do you propose we stop it?" Zuko demanded.

"I'm not sure," Katara muttered faintly. Her thoughts had turned inward. "Sokka was the strategist. I just hope some of it rubbed off on me..." After a moment, she returned to the present, which, Zuko mused wryly, wasn't actually the present. "Are you going to help me or not?"

If he said no, she'd go ahead and try it anyway without him, and probably get herself killed in the process. He might as well go along with her mad schemes, if only to keep her marginally safer. He still didn't know what she hoped to accomplish, but at least he could protect her in some way if he was with her.

So, with great reluctance, Zuko said, "I'll help you." He prayed he wouldn't regret this decision.

He didn't have time to think about it, however, because at that moment, a man stepped into the library. Judging from his fashion choices and the fact that he was heavily armed, he was probably a guard.

"What are you two loitering here for? This is the Fire Lord's private library," he shouted.

"Time to go." Zuko grabbed Katara by the elbow and dragged her along behind him until she gained her feet. They bolted around a tall bookshelf and stopped, trying to control their breathing. The faint sounds of the guard running after them grew steadily louder until he'd passed them entirely.

Neither of them moved. "Why the hell did you lead us into the Fire Lord's _private_ library?" she hissed at him.

Zuko froze, racking his brain to figure out why he _had_ taken Katara into the heart of the palace when the public library in the city had a perfectly good calendar and was, in fact, open to the _public_. The only thing he could come up with was, "Habit. This is where I come."

Katara harrumphed but seemed to accept this explanation and crossed her arms over her chest. The servants' uniforms they'd pilfered to sneak into this place were plainly colored and did little to flatter her figure or coloring, but nothing could take away from her passion.

They waited for a few minutes before Katara poked her head around the shelf to scope out the room. "I think we're clear," she announced, taking his wrist. "Come on. We have to get out of here." They'd made it all of three steps past the shelf when they heard footsteps coming toward them. They were too light to be the male returning, but they couldn't afford discovery a second time.

Zuko found himself shoved sideways into another aisle of books and scrolls, this one much more brightly lit than the last.

They were going to be spotted.

"You said these were servant clothes?" Katara asked hurriedly.

What did that have to do with anything? Dazedly, still facing the prospect of being found out in a place- and time- they shouldn't be, Zuko nodded and opened his mouth to ask, "Why does that matter?"

The footfalls came closer. All he got out was "Wh" before something suctioned to his mouth. It turned out to be Katara's mouth, and before he could protest, she'd yanked his hands onto her hips and settled in close against him. She hit a ticklish spot on Zuko's back when she shoved a hand up the back of his shirt and her other hand wound into his hair.

He was just beginning to enjoy the movement of Katara's mouth over his when the footsteps stopped next to them and a rough female voice growled at them, "Back to work, you two." Apparently this guard was less concerned about two strangers in a room that was off-limits to the public, perhaps because up-close, their clothes were unmistakable.

"Yes, ma'am," Katara mumbled, eyes on the floor, drawing away from Zuko with what he thought might be reluctance and dragging him behind her. "You won't catch us here again."

She waited until the guard was out of earshot before saying, "Because we're not going to be here again. C'mon, Zuko. We have plans to make."

Zuko hoped that didn't turn out to be as ominous as it sounded.


	6. Sokka and Suki Go On Their First Date

For andromeda3116 over at LJ, who asked for Sukka: "Basically I just want Suki and Sokka being all adorable and not-shunted to the side." I give you - drumroll, yes? - their first date. And some funny Sokka/Zuko interaction to start. I'll be using that scenario you gave me, no worries on that score, but first I _had_ to use the line 'what do you even do on a date.' And, erm, I'm a little rusty on canon, so, if necessary, cut me a little slack regarding the Sokka/Yue date portion please? Enjoy, darling, and Happy belated Christmas and New Year.

* * *

"Oh my god!"

Sokka was in full-out Panic Mode. He vaguely heard Zuko give a weary sigh, but he ignored it. His brain had shut down, leaving him with just the abject terror coursing through his veins. This wasn't the first time it had happened, but Zuko wasn't very good at soothing people or talking them down, so Sokka would have to try to calm himself. Except...

_"Oh my god!"_

He couldn't.

"What do you even _do_ on a date?" He'd had a girlfriend for weeks, if his relationship with Suki could be labelled something as paltry as 'boyfriend/girlfriend.' They'd survived a _war_ together. He thought he'd lost her for good once there, after breaking her out of a maximum-security prison and barely escaping with their lives, and it had terrified him more than words could ever express. They'd slept together (actual sleep, because Suki refused to have sex until after the war was over), curled around each other and soaking up the other's warmth and presence. They knew they'd willingly give their lives for one another. They trusted each other implicitly. They loved each other. There was no breaking them up- the war had woven them too tightly together for that.

But they'd never been on a date.

In fact, Sokka had never been on a date before in his life. The closest he'd ever come was in the North Pole with Yue, when he'd stammered out that ridiculous question about doing an activity. She'd shown up, he'd been unbearably excited, and then she'd announced her engagement and run off.

It was clear why he didn't particularly want to count that as his first date. It didn't exactly inspire confidence.

Before he could lose more of his dignity, Zuko slapped him across the face. "Sokka! Shut up and I'll help you," he shouted.

Sokka subsided weakly, rubbing his cheek. "Did you really have to hit me, dude?" he asked sulkily. Zuko bristled, but ultimately ignored the comment.

"There aren't going to be any festivals or anything for a while," he mused. "Because with all the propaganda and indoctrination my ancestors fed the people, they aren't going to be happy with peace, which makes me doubt they'll be celebrating my coup. And they aren't going to be happy seeing people they'd think of as beneath them on their streets-"

"...You're really helping a lot, buddy, thanks," Sokka said dryly.

"-so it'll have to be limited to the palace," Zuko decided. "What do we have in the palace?"

There was actually a lot in the palace, Sokka realised, as Zuko began to describe the place. Huge, beautiful sitting rooms and bedrooms and whole suites with rich decorations and every comfort. They had elaborate kitchens at their disposal, with incredible amounts of food (even if they had to cook it themselves, because they were discovering that Azula, in her paranoid deterioration, had dismissed the vast majority of the servants- including the cooks). An enormous library filled to bursting with books and scrolls in every language imaginable, about every topic you could think of, and some you couldn't.

The previous Fire Lords had built up an impressive menagerie of animals over the generations. It was near enough to the palace grounds to be safe. It was at the edge of the palace's park, Sokka found out when he asked, and the park was an open, outdoor area with a thick carpet of lush grass and stands of trees. It even had a little man-made stream that fed a small pond that was stocked with ornamental koi and goldfish. There was a red footbridge over the stream.

Imagining the place inspired Sokka.

"A picnic in the park," he cried. "She's more of an outdoors girl, I'll take her on a picnic and then we can look at the animals and it'll be perfect! I'm a genius!" He rushed out of the room.

Zuko remained still, counting slowly.

"...Three."

Sokka rushed back in, panic-stricken and pale once more. "How do I put together a picnic?"

* * *

When Sokka had come into her room this morning and told her he had a surprise for her later, Suki had gotten a little worried. It was a bit irrational, perhaps, but Sokka had been trying his damndest to act suave. He was unaware that his cool guy act was the biggest tip off that he was terrified out of his wits.

Even so, she was excited. Sokka tried to be romantic (usually with mixed results), but every attempt was still so adorable and sweet that Suki lost another little piece of her heart to him.

She seriously considered snatching it all back when he ambushed her at lunch- a _literal_ ambush, complete with a blindfold and jumping out of nowhere. Wholly un-amused, she started to fight back, but stopped when Sokka's apologetic voice reached her ears.

"It's just for the walk, I swear," he promised.

Suki thought about kicking him anyway. "Don't sneak up on a warrior after a war, Sokka," she told him sharply.

"Sorry," he muttered, and she was gratified to hear true remorse in his tone now. "Come on for your surprise."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm not spoiling it."

As much as she wanted to teasingly pester him about it, she could sense that this was important to him. So she accepted his hands and let him lead her slowly through what seemed like the entire palace until he stopped her and, after warning her not to take off the blindfold yet, opened a door that let in a hot wave of outside air.

She couldn't resist anymore. "Sokka, where are you taking me?"

"I told you, Suki," he said patiently. "I'm not spoiling the surprise. I've been planning it for days. You'll see it when we get there." But she could hear the anxiety and eager excitement in his voice.

Suki was led onto hard stone that gave way to pebbled paths and eventually soft grass. She could smell flower trees and maple, and somewhere nearby was the light, musical gurgling of a stream. Sokka led her closer to the water, and then stopped her.

When he removed the blindfold, Suki found herself stunned as she looked around with an expert eye. Sokka had brought her to what was quite possibly the most beautiful place she'd ever seen. She was standing next to a silk sheet on which sat a wicker basket, and on the far side of it was the brook she'd heard. It was in a nice, shady spot, surrounded by slim, smooth-barked trees with glossy leaves. The grass underfoot was a vibrant green, and everything smelled fresh and clean, lightly tinted with summer flowers.

"Sokka, it's gorgeous!" Suki exclaimed, lunging toward him for a hug. "Thank you."

"It was nothing," Sokka murmured into her hair. "But this place is just the beginning of your surprise. Sit down."

There was more? Suki sat down and almost immediately, Sokka settled around her. It was just a little too hot to be cuddling, and Sokka smelled like he could use a bath- when he was 'planning,' he frequently forgot about trivial things like soap, clean underwear, and food- but she felt no inclination to push him away.

"This," Sokka said grandly, gesturing around them, "is our first date."

Was it? Suki thought for a moment. They'd been together for what felt like years, but in actuality was only weeks, and they'd spent almost all of that time with each other. But none of it had been on a date.

She was suddenly nervous. What did girls do on dates? Back on Kyoshi Island, she hadn't had much time for boys and dating- not that any of the boys on the island were worth dating- because she'd always been so busy training. But some of her warriors had told her about their dating lives, and it seemed that all they did was giggle at the boy's dumb jokes and expect them to pay for everything.

Sokka's jokes weren't dumb, Suki didn't giggle, and no one let him handle money because he was horrible with it.

So what did that leave?

And then it occurred to her that this was _Sokka._ Sure, he was being weirdly romantic right now, but he was still the goofy, sarcastic, Boomerang-wielding, Space-Sword-carrying, Plan Guy she loved. Her behavior didn't have to change.

"So it is," she said. "What's on the agenda?"

Sokka grinned. He leaned around her, caging her for just a moment in his arms, and pulled the wicker basket toward them.

"Lunch," he said cheerfully, beginning to unload small containers and wrapped things onto the silk next to them.

"Did you make it?" she asked uncertainly. Sokka wasn't the best cook...

"Yeah," he answered proudly. "I had to. All the cooks either quit or got fired. Zuko helped."

Oh, dear spirits. Sokka wasn't the best cook, he was awful, Zuko was worse, and Suki dreaded the moment when he lifted the lids from those containers and revealed whatever was inside.

It was fruit and sweets. The wrapped bundles were spicy rolls.

"Oh, thank the spirits," she breathed.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Sokka."

He lifted a piece of fruit to her lips, and she just had to laugh. The chunk of fruit was chopped in the strangest way. In fact, all of them were.

"What's so funny?" Sokka demanded.

Suki took a moment to master herself before she could say, "You cut the fruit yourself, didn't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sounded put-out.

"Nothing, honey," Suki answered truthfully. "Feed me."

So he did. In between giving her bites of fruit and bread, he stuffed himself, and when the food was gone, he led her to a zoo, where they gawked at animals and read panels next to their enclosures.

The date ended with a kiss on the footbridge after a walk through the park, and Suki lamented that it had to end at all.


	7. Zuko Gets a Pet

Just a bit of crack. Originally written for someone's challenge, but it was a long time ago and I've kind of forgotten the rules now. Enjoy.

* * *

_Zuko Gets A Pet_

* * *

"Fluffy-kins!" The heinous voice rang through the halls of the family wing at an obscene volume. The Earthbenders in Zuko's head slammed rocks at a furious pace against his temples.

He rose unsteadily from his bed, foot tangling in the sheet. Zuko couldn't get it free and when he yanked, he fell on his face, and landed in an inelegant heap on the floor.

"Dammit," he mumbled into the tile, clutching his head as he sat up. His foot was tangled, and the sheet hadn't taken the fall with him, so his leg was on the bed still. After fighting a moment, he stood awkwardly and reached for a dagger on his bedside table, intending to cut it off.

The door flew open, slamming off the wall with a resounding _bang!_ that echoed through the room- and Zuko's head- painfully loudly.

"Fluffy-kins?!" that grating voice called again.

"Not quite," Zuko deadpanned, rubbing his head.

"The alcohol getting to you, Zuzu?" The tone of the voice was now amused.

"Yes, Ty Lee," he grated. "It is. This is the worst hangover ever."

"The first one usually is," she granted. "Drink some water. And keep a basin handy."

"Ugh," he moaned.

"Have you seen Fluffy?"

"What is _Fluffy_?" Zuko said the word like it left a foul taste in his mouth.

"Um…"

Zuko's stomach dropped, quickly followed by his jaw, in horror.

'Um' from Ty Lee never _ever_ meant good things. The last time they'd heard 'um' fall from her lips, the entire north wing had been drenched by slime bombs, half of the east wing had been destroyed by rampaging komodo rhinos, and the section of the library that housed the tax records had gone up in flames and then hit by a tsunami.

Granted, it hadn't been totally her fault (as in Sokka had concocted the slime bombs in his room; Jet had been the one let loose in the stables; and Aang was the Firebender who'd been practicing his forms indoors and Katara had tried to put the fire out), but as the mastermind behind the whole scheme, she bore the brunt of the guilt.

The royal servants, stable hands, and accountants loathed her, but she was the patron saint of construction workers the country over.

That had been one of those days where Zuko swore that whatever deity had been assigned to him was convinced that it had drawn the short straw.

So when Ty Lee said, "Um…" and suddenly found the floor the most fascinating thing in the world, Zuko was duly terrified.

"Ty Lee, _what did you _do_?!"_

"…I got you a pet?"

* * *

It turned out that Bosco was female.

And during the Earth King's travels after fleeing Ba Sing Se, Bosco had made the acquaintance of a male. Nature had run its course, as it is wont to do, and Bosco had little Boscos.

How Ty Lee managed to acquire one was a mystery, but the fact remained that she had, and it was now up to them to find it.

Zuko prayed his guardian spirit was feeling extremely benevolent.


	8. It's Hot In the Fire Nation

_Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zutara, hot summer day_. This is over a year late, and for that I am extremely sorry. I hope you enjoy, and remember - I don't own.

* * *

_It's Hot In the Fire Nation_

* * *

The heat at the height of summer in the Fire Nation was oppressive, to say the least. The palace was designed to be open and airy - at least in the interior of the structure - but it was still stifling inside the office. Zuko was dripping sweat, and all he was doing was sitting with a pen in his hand.

Katara was at least up and walking around. Sure, her arms were full of books and scrolls and papers, each of them written in dry, boring language - that had more than once made her want to poke her own eyes out with a rusty spoon - detailing each law of the Fire Nation, but she was _moving around_. She'd been at it for hours; her feet ached and her thin silk robe was sticking to her skin. She'd pulled her hair into a tail high on her head shortly after arriving that morning, and wisps of her impossible curls had escaped. They were tickling her ears and face.

Finally, she couldn't take the irritation anymore. Katara dropped the law materials onto a table and flopped into a chair, freezing her sweat as soon as her hands were free.

The cold hit almost instantly, chilling her skin. She let out a strange sound, somewhere between a sigh and a squeak, at the sudden sensation. Zuko looked up. His eyes narrowed when he saw the beads of ice on her. He cleared his throat pointedly.

"Yes, Zuko?" Katara asked breezily.

"Can you...?" He gestured at her.

She contemplated feigning confusion for a moment, just to screw with him, but decided it was too hot to play games. In a moment, Zuko looked like a Fire Lord-sicle.

"Hot damn, I love having a waterbender around," he said happily. Katara chose not to be offended by that statement, instead leaning her head back and letting her eyes slide closed with bliss. She reveled in both the quiet and the relief from the heat.

"So, how are your lessons going?"

Trust Zuko to ruin it. She loved the man, truly she did, but sometimes she just wanted to gag him.

"Zuko," said Katara firmly. She didn't raise her head - didn't even open her eyes.

"What?" he asked edgily.

"Shhh."

Silence reigned until the ice on their skin began to melt, which took all of two minutes. She refroze it instantly for both of them. Around the fourth time, Katara realized it was probably too much trouble to keep doing this over and over, only for her work to be spoiled in a couple minutes. She began to tour the palace in her mind, searching for someplace that was easier to keep cool.

There were ponds in all of the gardens, or the steam rooms, or the baths.

The steam rooms were the first to be discarded - they were natural chambers filled with steam from the volcano's hot springs. After a moment's thought, Katara rejected the baths too. They _were_ the hot springs, heated by magma.

"Zuko, come with me to the pond."

Zuko made token protests and even went so far as to pack up his paperwork and stuff it into a portable desk to take with them, but in the end he was sprawled across the grass in the shade of a tree. He was nearly naked, stripped down to just his pants, which he'd rolled up to his knees. She took a moment to admire the view before removing her outer layers and shoes and wading into the pond until she was waist deep.

Taking her stance and falling into the proper breathing pattern, Katara cooled the water until a thin crust of ice formed on the surface. It took a lot of energy and she plopped into the water with a splash when she was done, floating on her back.

It was bliss. The hot sun melted the ice fairly quickly, but the water stayed cold. Zuko joined her in less than three minutes. He sighed with ecstasy and dove under the water. The waves rolled Katara around. A short while later, she found herself scooped up in his arms.

"Have I told you lately how much I _love_ you?" he asked. He cuddled her tight against his chest, and she was intrigued by the contrast from the frigid water from her hips down and the heat radiating from Zuko.

"Yes," Katara answered happily. Her mood had improved greatly with the cooling down, and even though they both had work they should be doing, she was feeling a little mischievous now. She pushed her mouth against his neck, a move she knew perfectly well drove him crazy, and whispered, "This morning before I was even completely awake. It was...amazing."

* * *

Zuko shivered, but not from the chill. He drew away from her slightly, golden eyes molten, and his hands began to wander from her waist - one to the base of her neck, the other to her thigh below her rear.

"Encore?" he murmured, voice gone husky.

"Not in the garden," Katara said briskly, pulling out of his embrace completely and flashing an impish smile his way. "Anyone could walk by and see us!" She splashed him lightly, missing his grip on her.

He smirked. "So that's how it is?" He flicked a spark at her.

She shrieked and flung up a wall of water, then threw it at him. Laughing with glee, she told him, "It is now."

Zuko's eyebrow rose. He lunged at her and ended up in a bubble of ice. It was perfectly clear, affording him an excellent view as she spun, literally perfectly in her element. She was gathering the pond's water to her command while he melted the bubble.

The fleeting thought crossed his mind that his handlers would be beyond furious if they knew where he was and that he was blowing off important national matters to play with his wife like they were irresponsible children. He shoved it away and went after her again. This time he got doused with a waterfall, Katara giggling from the middle of the pond. She had one hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the sound, a faint blush on her cheeks, and dancing, merry eyes.

Zuko dove under the water, cutting a path briskly to where she was treading water. She could have easily stopped him, but she didn't. He stopped beside her, grabbed her ankle and pulled her under. He surfaced at the same time she did, bobbing just above the surface and waiting with a mouthful of water.

Katara spluttered, wiping her eyes clear, only for him to ambush her. She splashed water in his face again, with her eyes closed this time. Zuko took advantage and propelled forward, taking her by the shoulders and kissing her firmly. Her mouth gave pleasantly under his.

"Zuko," she murmured when he broke the kiss. He could see her blue eyes glimmering contentedly. "I don't want to go back to the office. But if we get caught out here..." She sounded almost like she was whining, not that he could blame her. He didn't want to go either.

"Let's at least dry off," he said, flipping over onto his back and lazily paddling toward the shore where they'd left their clothes. He made it there well before she did, settling in the shade. He was still cold from the pond when Katara laid down beside him, snuggling into his side.

The captain of the guard found them there two hours later, wrapped around each other in sleep and sweating like stuck cow-pigs. He smirked to himself and left them where they were. They'd learn their lesson when they woke up.


End file.
